Cooking in the Condo: Simple Recipes to Try This Summer

When you think of beating the heat this summer, hitting the beach or going to Baguio are not your only options. Why don’t you stay home? Yes, home. Sounds lame? When there’s perfect food, nothing can be too lame.

Believe it or not, the kitchen in your condo is a good place to spend your summer. Don’t worry about the heat and the steam, easy-to-do delicious summer foods will not require a lot of gas range and oven work. Filipinos are great with food and their love affair with the kitchen goes beyond time and seasons. This summer, let your fun and functional kitchen table designs be your picnic set-up. Below are 11 simple and tasty summer recipes you can prepare in your condo. Let’s start cooking!

Pineapple fried rice

Photo courtesy of Claire Edwards via Pinterest

A Filipino meal won’t be complete without rice. This summer, start your day with a healthier and more flavorful fried rice. The secret ingredient: pineapples. Summer is the season of pineapples so they are relatively cheap this time of year. As an added bonus, the dash of colors in this recipe will help you jumpstart your day.

All you need is leftover rice, some of your favorite veggies like celery sticks, cabbage, carrots, and corn, and small slices of ham or chorizo. You can cook fresh pineapple chunks with the rest of the ingredients if you want a strong pineapple taste or just use them as rice toppings.

Mexican grilled corn

Photo courtesy of Stacy Walls via Pinterest

No balcony or patio? No problem. Among condo kitchen must-haves is an electric griller perfect for indoor use. Speaking of perfect, one perfect snack that never fails the Filipino taste buds is grilled corn on the cob. Give it a Mexican twist by brushing with melted butter and sprinkling with cheese, paprika, and salt. For added summer flavor, it is best served with lime.

Watermelon jell-o shot

Photo courtesy of Jo Pendley-Williams via Pinterest

Watermelon is an easy find this summer. If you are just used to eating them chilled, it’s time to discover more fun and exciting ways to use it. Why not make a watermelon jell-o? Jell-o recipes are among the most kid-friendly and delicious foods perfect for summer and serving them in watermelon-style is a sure hit with the family.

Pick up four boxes of watermelon-flavored jell-o powder in the supermarket. Dissolve them in three cups of boiling water then add two cups of cold water. Stir under low heat until it gets thicker. Now, you have your jell-o mixture. Pour it in an 8-10 inch scraped watermelon. Let it cool and harden then slice them as you would a watermelon. Serve with a watermelon shake or smoothie made out of the scraped watermelon.

Aloha chicken burger

Photo courtesy of Barefeet in the Kitchen via PInterest

Burgers are the perfect beach food trip. Bring home the beach vibe by making your own Hawaiian chicken burgers in your condo kitchen. Grill chicken breast, squeeze some pepper jack cheese and top with pineapple rings. Lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon are optional. This is perfect for entertaining guests in your condo. Serve with fresh juice.

Fruit kebabs

Photo courtesy of Amanda Lega via Pinterest

Kebabs and food in skewers are summer favorites. Instead of the usual grilled chicken, onions, and pineapples, why not go for the healthy alternative? There are a lot of fruits in season during summer and putting them in skewers make for a fun, colorful treat especially for kids. Strawberries, grapes, bananas, pineapples, and melon are just some of the fruits you can use. Chilled yogurt is a good dip.

Grilled cheese sandwich

Photo courtesy of Williams-Sonoma via Pinterest

This a classic recipe perfect for movie nights and catching up. It is also perfect to serve during breakfast. All you need is a few slices of white bread, cheddar cheese, and butter. Grill them to perfection until the cheese melts. You can also use american, swiss, or monterey jack cheese. Some also add bacon and pickles for added crunch and flavor.

Summer veggie pasta

Photo courtesy of Bev Nemec via Pinterest

Pasta is an all-year round favorite and summer is a good excuse to make them healthier and more colorful. Toss pasta of your choice in olive oil and garlic and toss in a slew of fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, corn kernels, and black beans. Add goat cheese for a protein-rich flavor. You can serve with grilled fish or chicken.

Avocado super salad

Photo courtesy of Karen Petersen via Pinterest

Another great summer combination is avocado, corn, and tomatoes. This is an all-star salad because of the nutrients in each ingredient. Cooked corn, fresh tomatoes, and diced avocado are the main ingredients. For the dressing, mix olive oil, lime juice, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper. Here’s a tip: if you cut the tomatoes and avocados in fine cubes, this recipe can also serve as salsa for chips and tacos.

Grilled fish with tomatoes

Photo courtesy of RecipeGirl via PInterest

Here is yet another way to enjoy tomatoes this summer. Grill your choice of fish like salmon or swordfish and season with salt and pepper. Toss cherry tomatoes in olive oil and basil. This will be a perfect side for the grilled fish. If you prefer steak, you can also do that.

Just like ice cream

Photo courtesy of Marcella Benton Rogers via Pinterest

This is a four-ingredient dessert. Pick fresh mangoes and bananas and cut them into chunks. Throw them into a blender and add yogurt and fresh milk. Blend the contents until they are thick and creamy for a “soft serve” feel. You can chill them first or serve them immediately. You can also choose to use other fruits like strawberries and blueberries. This is a healthier alternative to ice cream.

Summer fruit popsicles

Photo courtesy of Jacquelyn @BathBeautiful via Pinterest

What’s summer without popsicles? Have popsicles ready in the fridge for your kids to not mind staying in the condo for most of their summer vacation. Upgrade your usual fruity and creamy popsicles by adding small chunks of fresh fruit. This won’t only make it more colorful and tasty, this trick will also make for healthier popsies.

Don’t worry if you have nowhere to go this summer. Let food take you to places. Create a new summer memory by trying out these simple and easy-to-do recipes. Enjoy the best of what condo living has to offer by preparing them right in your condo’s kitchen.